Promoting effects of rhodium on supported nickel catalysts in the dry reforming of methane

The effect of addition of rhodium upon the characteristics and catalytic activity in carbon dioxide reforming of methane using rhodium promoted nickel catalysts supported on two commercial alumina, was studied. The number of reduced metallic atoms exposed on the surface increased for the rhodium promoted catalysts, which produced an increase in the catalytic activity for the reforming reaction. However, the specific activity measured by the turnover frequency resulted practically constant for promoted and not promoted catalysts suggesting that the increase in the number of metal surface atoms caused the activity enhancement.